DR. MOHAMAD RAZIF BIN MOHAMAD FUAD

Dr. Mohamad Razif bin Mohamad Fuad is a Lecturer in the Department of Usuluddin and Dakwah, Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya. His academic specialisation encompasses Islamic theology (ʿaqīdah), the study of theosophical and esoteric currents in religious thought, comparative religion, and Islamic thought, with a particular focus on atheism. He approaches atheism not merely as an intellectual denial of God, but as a broader epistemological and psychospiritual condition, situating classical Islamic theological traditions in critical dialogue with modern New Atheist discourse, contemporary philosophy of religion, and ethical questions arising from modernity.

He obtained his Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in ʿAqīdah and Religious Studies from Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM), followed by a Master’s degree in Usul al-Din and Comparative Religion from the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). His master’s research examined the thought of ʿAbd al-Wahhab al-Shaʿrānī, with particular attention to the synthesis of rational theology (ahl al-fikr) and spiritual epistemology (ahl al-kashf) in discussions of divine attributes (ilāhiyyāt), providing a conceptual foundation for his later engagement with esoteric and theosophical traditions.

He subsequently earned his PhD in ʿAqīdah and Islamic Thought from the University of Malaya, awarded with distinction. His doctoral research analysed critiques of New Atheist arguments denying the existence of God through a comparative study of Muslim and Christian theological traditions. Methodologically, his scholarship integrates close textual analysis of classical Islamic sources (turāth), comparative theology, discourse analysis, and sustained engagement with contemporary philosophy of religion.

Beyond formal academic training, he has participated in international scholarly and leadership programmes, including the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) organised by the United States Department of State in 2022, with a focus on religion, society, and public diplomacy. His current research interests extend to theosophy and modern esotericism, the psychospiritual dimensions of disbelief, the ethical implications of artificial intelligence, secularism, and modern ideological challenges to religious belief.

In addition to his academic publications, he is an active writer and translator, producing scholarly and public-facing works in Malay and English. He regularly delivers lectures and public talks on Islam, atheism, theosophy, and theology for universities, non-governmental organisations, and government agencies. His work seeks to bridge the classical Islamic intellectual heritage with contemporary epistemological and ethical challenges facing Muslim societies.